XPeng Motors became one of the first Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) startups to debut at the 2025 Milan Design Week, while it’s the sole Chinese automotive brand showcased at the ADI Design Museum. The Chinese automaker then officially announced its market launch in Italy at the event.
As one of Europe’s top five automotive markets and a pioneer in Europe’s electrification, Italy is striving to achieve an annual production capacity goal of 1.3 million new energy vehicles by the end of 2025 through incentives such as tax policies and investments in charging infrastructure.
The country’s national charging network is expanding at an annual rate of 35%, with the total number of charging points exceeding 40,000 units, forming the densest smart charging ecosystem in Southern Europe. On the other hand, the electric driving in Italy only costs about €3 per 100 kilometers, accelerating the shift from fuel-powered to electric vehicles among middle-to-high-income households. Northern cities of Italy, like Milan and Bologna, have become significant hubs for “green consumption”.
XPeng has begun laying the groundwork in Southern Europe earlier and achieved a series of breakthroughs. In Spain, the XPeng G6 secured Carwow’s “Most Technological car” award, while in France, the XPeng G9 won the “Jury’s Favorite” title in the “Connected Car” category from the 2024 Automobile Awards. XPeng was also recognized as the “Technology Frontrunner” for two consecutive years in Denmark.
XPeng has expanded to over 10 European countries including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France and Spain as Italy was officially included in its market. Leveraging Europe as a strategic base, XPeng is advancing its global market expansion swiftly.
He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of XPeng, mentioned that Europe is the most significant new energy market besides China and XPeng’s top-tier products align well with local consumers’ needs. “We’ve found that XPeng models top among the products priced over €40,000 in local sales,” said He.
Xpeng’s competitive edge in Europe is evident. In the first quarter, its sales across 12 European countries outperformed rivals like ZEEKR, NIO, and Seres, ranking first among Chinese NEV startups. In addition, the XPeng G6 is the sole Chinese model included on the Top 10 list of D-Segment SUVs in the Nordics.
He Xiaopeng further highlighted that XPeng would implement customized strategies for European countries, which included directly operated stores in Denmark, dealer networks managed through sales companies in Germany and France, and partnerships with local distributors for import and marketing in Spain, Portugal, and Italy.
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